


A whisper from me

by oilyraven



Category: Monte Cristo Musical, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, AruAni, Ballroom, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inspired by Music, POV Annie Leonhart, POV First Person, Sadness, Short One Shot, This man is dead, Timeskip, Trauma, Waltzing, i know those eyes, monte cristo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-07 01:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8777254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oilyraven/pseuds/oilyraven
Summary: Inspired by I know those eyes / This man is dead from the Count of Monte Cristo musical.Annie is freed from her crystal and discovers what happened to the world. She attends a ball where she meets with the boy who haunts all her dreams.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native English writer, but I still try.  
> Start the song at the ***** mark!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjTiiLdCN7Q  
> (The neutral lyric video was taken down saddly)

A soft breeze caressed my cheek, a sensation I had not felt in a time I couldn’t not measure. Its gentleness reached my eyes; I could move my eyelids, they were no longer forced shut by the transparent stone I had casted myself within. But wait, what could have possibly happened? My mind had fell in a deep slumber as I was eaten by the crystal. Someone from the outside had to break it. Who could have managed to crack it, let alone made so much as a dent?

Slowly, I opened my eyes. My pupils struggled to adjust themselves to make a clear image of my surroundings, like it had forgotten how to focus. I cannot phantom how badly it would have been if the room I was in had been brightly lit instead of the soothing torches burning quietly on each wall side to me. I was in what I only could assume to be catacombs. The ceiling was low, and the four walls imprisoning me were built from large grey-blue stones on which I could make out roots running over them.  
My crystal had been cracked from the front as crevasses were spreading from a center point at the level of my stomach. The upper left side had broken off the main piece to fall to the ground beside it, liberating my right side from my ribs up my head. Luckily for me, a chunk covering my nose and eyes also fell along with it. I balled my hand and concentrated to harden my human hand. Crystal against crystal, shards exploded everywhere as I broke free from my beautiful cell.

I was completely alone in the damp room. It seemed like whoever broke my shell had either thought I had died suffocated or had themselves too exhausted to wait and see if I’d wake up. The solid ground felt eerie under my boot, my legs could barely recall how to transport me. I had not felt the weight of gravity in many moons. I could not exit this place like this. I began to strut from wall to wall, and my mind soon spiraled along with my steps. How long had I been away? Had Reiner and Bertholdt completed the mission? I could not really imagine Eren obediently following them. No, only his cold, dead body would make it to the Homeland. Had Armin also died? My heart flinched has I pictured the blonde. He had been the one to blow my cover. The one who had drove me against the wall. The one who handed me on a silver to those monsters who swore to dissect me alive. My soul ached as the bitter taste of betrayal filled my mouth. I had thought he was different, like Eren was. In the end, I was wrong, but somewhere, I still wanted to believe I was not.

Once I was confident enough in the quality of my stroll, I left the catacombs behind to return to the civilization. I was careful on my way out, walking velvet steps and hiding from all living beings that could possibly cross my path.

The sun blinded me before I was even out of the building. It must have been around noon for it to be this bright. I cupped my left hand over my brows in an attempt to save my pale eyes. It seemed I had been stored in the basement of a tall building property of the Survey Corps from what I could deduct from the wing crest above the main entrance. How they thought keeping a titan in the middle of a city to be safe was beyond my comprehension, but then again, a lot of the human logic slipped my grasp.  
I made my way to the market still bustling with people. It felt as if I had not missed a single day, as if I had never transformed in the middle of Sina. My heart skipped a beat when a man nodded at me. I thought he had recognized me, but I soon realized he had reckoned my uniform before my identity. I was still wearing my Military Police uniform. I could use a change, these clothes had expired their use. I entered a shop at random and started to browse for new garments. I quickly found a grey hoodie with a pair of black pants. They would suffice, I was not a picky dresser. I was waiting for the clerk to give me my total when the glimmer of gems caught my eye. A beautiful dress was promoted in the window of the shop, and I had somehow completely ignored it until now.

''Pretty, isn't it?'' The clerk said, following my gaze  
''Yes... It is ravishing.'' I agreed as I turned my head away to pay  
''It would suit you, I'm sure.'' He cooed  
''It really is not my style... I would never have an occasion to wear it.'' I shook my head  
''You must already have your dress for the ball.'' he shrugged.  
''The ball...?'' I asked, frowning

The clerk seemed surprised at my ignorance. He extended his hand to show me a poster announcing a grand ball organized by the Queen tonight. The Queen? That was peculiar. I was certain that the ruler of this land was a male during my time of serving. The question of how long have I slept suddenly became worrying. I needed to know what had became of this world.

"Now that I think of it... I could use a new soiree outfit." I said as I put down my money pouch on the counter

\-----

My heart beat louder than my crystal heels as I approached the grandiose castle in which the ball was taking places. I had to stop before climbing the stairs leading to the door to take a few deep breaths. The knot in my throat needed to leave or I would not be able to speak. Anxiety froze my blood and made my fingertips numb. I was scared of what I'd find out tonight, who I would see and how they would react. My thoughts trailed again to Armin, to which I snarled loudly. I needed to stop thinking about that human.

I climbed up the stair with renewed determination. I immediately received an approving stare from the butler in charge of welcoming the guests. It put me at ease despite not being much of a surprise. The dress at the clerk was like it was made for me. It fit me like a glove. The sky blue mousseline wrapped my body like a ribbon and each of the gem complimented my curves. I had treated myself to be pampered by specialists. My hair were coiffed like a princess and my nails painted the same blue with a tiny gem to my index. After so long with the mission has my only focus, refusing to allow myself anything more than a donuts for a treat, the afternoon had not seemed like luxury at all.

I made my way to the ballroom. The room was grandiose and lit by half a hundred chandeliers. Under them, people were dancing in circles. There must have been at least 500 people already present and the number would increase from there. I walked through the crowd, careful with the stares landing on me. So far, I was a nobody again. Not that I would complain, but it was almost insulting to be forgotten after wrecking their precious inner city wall.

***************

I was snacking on a hors d'oeuvre when my heart beat faster and my mind raced. I knew those eyes following me, dark and familiar and deep as the sea. I knew that face, strange though it seemed it used to be younger and kinder. Your expression haunted all my dreams. Your hair held by a black bow had grown past your shoulders. There you were, chatting to people I had never seen. But as your thin lips moved, I knew your colder eyes were still locked on me. 

What had time did to you?

You snaked through the crowd and passed me without a word. I followed you onto the balcony that towered the constellation of street lamps. You did not pay me a glance, gazing at the full moon bathing us in its silver light. My voice could not find its way to my lips. There was so many things to talk about, so many words left to say.

“I am not who you remember. He is no more.” You coldly said

You turned to face me, and I could see you spoke the truth. Your once brilliant orbs had turned a dull cobalt tint. I brought my hand to cup your face, to feel the memory of your skin, but you pulled back. You preferred to return your eyes to the moon.

“Like a thief, the titan gene has stolen him away.”

I frowned and stepped between you and the balcony’s ramp. You were now so much taller than me. I forced you to look down at me, in the eyes. How dare you be angry at me, when you were the one who locked me away? You cannot be gone. Whatever this world had come to, you were not meant to vanish. I searched far into your eyes, and when I thought I had seen where you had been hidden, you looked away again.

“Armin, you are not g---“  
“The mind plays tricks. You are confused. The man you seek is long gone.” You abruptly cut me

Before I could speak once more, you walked away from me. You stopped before the large open doors and looked back at me. The warmer light from inside enveloping your sides with a golden hue. I wanted to run to you. I wanted to ask you what had happened. What did you mean by the gene stealing you away? Your aura was icier than my crystals, pinning me where I stood.

“I have moved on.” You whispered before fading into the crowd.

Your words were like daggers straight to my heart. You truly did have feelings for me. Despite the screaming of my heart, I tried to follow you. I saw you asking a dame for a dance. Without thinking, I took the hand of the first man in my view and joined the dance floor. I would not be able to recall the features of the man I had dragged with me as I was looking for you through the flurry of colorful skirts. I finally caught sight of that black bow holding your wheat colored hair. I moved to change partners, and so did you. We were one step closer. I wanted to hear your voice again. It held traces of you. Again, the beautiful waltz brought us closer. We brushed against each other as we twirled to the rhythm of the melody. I knew what it was like to be changed by this ruthless world. To lose sight of who you are for you are supposed to be. You seemed to suffer the same fate as I did. I was still unsure if I could escape it myself. Could either of us really ever be free?

The fatidic turn made us partners for the next verse. Your hand gently held mine and the other rested on my hip. They had grown much bigger than mines. Years have passed since we last met, yet I can still see traces of you in everything you are. You said that the man I know was dead. And though it’s torturing me, I know those eyes. They were aching. I wish I could reach for you. You pushed me back and my skirt whirled as we remained connected by a single hand. There you were, standing a whisper away from me, yet you were still so far away. A light tug of your hand brought me back against your mature body. You were closed to my attempts to understand you. You spun me to have my back against your chest as the music began to die. Alas, the truth seemed too hard to be true. With so much broken, and so much damage, there were…

“No more words left to say…” You sighed in my ear

You let go of my hand and hip. You were already far from me when I turned around, and soon you faded like a ghost within the crowd. I understood your message despite all the pain that it carried. I was free to go home, but without you.

**Author's Note:**

> I became obsessed with this song after Ink Potts published their MLP animatic on it. I felt like becoming a titan could take a toll onto Armin and make him darker.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
